Tuesday, December 14, 2004
Snow!
A few facts for those of you who attempt to drive this winter. This strange white stuff coming down is the same white stuff that came down last year, the year before that, and the year before that. I have it on pretty good authority, that it also came down earlier than that. And if you idiots remember, it's slippery and it's hard to see through when it's blowing and flying around. Not only that, but if it melts and then the temperature drops down into the Fahrenheit teens, it's going to freeze and become even more slippery.
I had to drive 100 miles last night in snow and cold. (Surprisingly, they often go together). I bring this up because of the large number of idiots who decided to support the local police, fire and wrecker folks last night. It was seven at night (which up here in Michigan is NIGHTTIME). The wind was blowing and the temperature was down around 24 degrees. And people were still driving as if it was the Fourth of July with clear roads and no wind.
You'd think the first 15 or so vehicles in a ditch would remind folks that the weather is bad - but NOOOO. At one time I had just passed a passel of flashing lights with police cars, fire trucks and wreckers stretched across several blocks when some nitwit pulled out from behind me to pass me. He ended up sideways and after finally straightening out, flew on by and probably into some ditch several more miles up the road. I was doing 30 mph and that was probably too fast. The rest of the trip home was punctuated by the plaintive flashing of hazard lights from down in the ditch some place.
I finally got about 20 miles from home when I came across yet another accident - this one closing the road for about an hour. I was about the fourth vehicle in the line of waiting vehicles that stretched back for many miles. I'd like to think if I was only a couple of minutes earlier, I would have been past the accident, however, I could've also been part of the accident.
Which brings to my point. It's December in Michigan and it snows. And when it snows, it's going to be slippery and hard to see and a pain in the ass to drive in. Slow down, you idiot. Your SUV isn't going to help when the road is covered in polished ice and you can't see 50 feet in front of you. Personally and honestly, I don't really care if you head off an embankment at 50 mph in the middle of a blizzard. However, I do care if you take me with you.
2fers National Snow and Ice Data Center and You Roll em,...
